THERE WAS MARY

So I got an email from one of my teenage son’s teachers. Caught spying something on his Chromebook during class rather than attending to the task at hand. (Or, as he adamantly put it building his defense later in the day – while doing his work! That one went over big with Mom.)

Yes, I tend to jump into over action. (I shall not here go into my tirade of the wisdom in setting these beasts of innocuous entertainment and ‘knowledge’ into the hands of young teens and preteens – that’s another blog. Or is it?) I called his guidance counselor who I know from working in the school system some years back when Sam’s eldest brother and sister were traversing the middle school years.

We spoke and commiserated and came up with a game plan.

As things were wrapping up I said, “Give my love to Mary.” I used to teach in his wife’s classroom when the middle school music teacher had no music room. (Let’s not talk about that.) It was the most invigorating year of my teaching for I was in the presence of both a master teacher and a vividly curious human being. I hadn’t seen her in years. He said he would.